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Category Archives: birding

Just to be frank, it has been too darn hot to do anything outside our apartment for most of the last two months. I caught sight of this heron as we drove past the pond next to our apartment. Next trip out the camera came along for the ride. The great blue heron did its best to hide from me.

A few yards to the right and the view was better.

Then The Great One said, “Are you looking at me?”

Ok, I get it. You are looking for dinner and do not want an audience!

I left the Great One in peace to continue doing what Great Ones do. How fortunate to see this beauty so close to home!

Taking precise photos of birds while in a moving tour bus is not ideal. The following photos were taken on a rainy morning in Amsterdam. The area is a small park where Rembrandt would paint. The pond is named Rembrandt’s pond. Moorhens Coots were enjoying a morning swim … But the weather was plenty wet without the pond.

These storks were across the road from Rembrandt’s pond.

A nest was nearby high on a pole that I just glimpsed as the bus drove from area. We saw several nests of this type through out Europe. In many areas nesting storks were a sign of luck. Some areas of course additionally believed they brought fertility to the home where they nested.

Further into the tour the guide gave us a heads up to watch for a rather unlikely bird. A quick click gave a drive by capture of flamingos at another park in Amsterdam. Bonus shot of the back of Hubby’s head ; )

The weather was not always the most cooperative for taking pictures of the birds we saw. Again, being in a moving tour bus made captures even more challenging.

Saw a couple of herons this week at Lake Travis. Distance too far for a crisp photo with my limited long range lens. Was just a few yards from the second and no camera with me! Reminded me of the old commercial, ‘don’t leave home without it’. A cardinal landed in the cedar trees surrounding the lake house. Was able to get a couple of decent shots.

Every evening I can watch the roosting of the neighborhood birds, crows, mockingbirds and doves. Group after group will fly to the tops of the rooftops across the street east of my patio. Last week the clouds in the east were reflecting the setting sun. All I could get were dark shadows of the birds. But sometimes for bird watchers flight against water colored sky is enough. And the first three shots are SOOC.

A bird we came across in The Netherlands was in the children’s garden at Keukenhof.

This shot was taken from the boat as we cruised along the Main Canal near Kelheim. I am no expert so I am guessing these are pink footed geese. (update, votes say graylag goose) The option is possibly the graylag goose.

Here are a couple of less clear shots that might aid in the identification of said geese.